Process of carbureting.



No. 645,425. Patented Mar. I3,v |900. E. A. MGALLISTER.

PROCESS F GARBURETING.

(Application led Aug. 29, 1899.)

(No Model.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT EEicE.

EDGAR A. MCALLISTER, or BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, AssreNoR, EY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, To THE MCALLISTER GAS-LIGHT, HEAT AND POWER -ooM- PANY, OF VEST VIRGINIA.

PROCESS OF `CARBLJRETING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 645,425, dated March 13, 1900.` Application filed A11-gust 29, 1899.v Serial No. 728,830. (No specimens.)

To @ZZ whom it 77u03/ concern:

Be it known that I, EDGAR A. MoALLisTER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Baltimore, in the State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Processes of Carbureting Aeriforrn Fluids, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a process for car'- buretiug aeriform fiuid.

1o In the accompanying drawing, the apparatus is shown in section, except the compressor, pipes, and regulating-valves.

The letter A designates agas-engine arranged with a compression-cylinder (t to com x 5 press theatmosphericair.

B is the humidity-eliminator, C the carbureter, and D the gasometer.

From the compressor a a .pipe E extends to and projects into the eliminator B. In this zo pipe E is arranged a safety-valve e to discharge any excess of pressure, a regulatingvalve e' to govern the amount of pressure in the eliminator, and a diffuser c2 to spray the air being discharged into the eliminator.

z5 From the eliminator extends the pipe F to the carbureter, into which it projects nearly to the bottom. In thispipe F is a regulatingvalve f, which governs the amount of pressure carried in the carbureter, and the 3o lower end of the said pipe F is provided with a diffuser c' to spray the air as it enters the hydrocarbon. From the carbureter extends the pipe G to the gasometer, entering the latter at the bottom and projecting above the liquid packing g. In this pipe is arranged a regulating-valve g' to govern the amount of pressure carried in the gasometer. From the gasometer extends the pipe H, which fur nishes the supply of gas for consumption 4o and to drive the engine A, the branch pipe h being provided with a governor h' to govern the supply of gas to the engine, said governor being connected by a pipe h2 to the pipe E between the regulating-valve e' and compression-cylinder a in order to regulate the working of the engine in accordance with the amount of pressure carried in the eliminator B.

The engine A may be of any construction 5o and actuated by steam or other suitable means; but in this case I prefer using a gas'- engine, as the power therefor can be derived l from the product of the apparatus. y The compression-cylinder a is of the usual kind provided with a piston and induction and eduction valves.

The humidity-eliminator Bin this instance consists of a chamber b, in which the aeriform iuid is compressed, and a chamber b', which contains sulfuric acid 197 or any suitable ab- 6o sorbent. Between the two chambers is arranged a cut-off Valve b and a properly-constructed check-valve b2 toprevent any backlow of the fluid. At the bottom of the chamber b is arranged an automatic discharge device consisting of a fioat b3, lever b4, and a valve b5, the latter being operated when the water eliminated from the air reaches a given height by the ioat rising, which through the medium of the lever actuatcs the discharge- 7o valve.

The carbureter C in this instance consists of a chamber c, which contains the hydrocarbon c2. The supply-pipe F extends nearly to the bottom of the carbnreter and is provided at its lower end with a diffuser c to spray the aeriform uid as it is subjected to the hydrocarbon.

rlhe gasometerD is of the usual form, consisting of a fixed tank d and a movable tank 8o d',with suitable liquid packing g to form a gas-tight joint between the two tank-s, the supply-pipe d2 and the dischargepipe d3 connecting with the chamber above the packing g.

The safety-valve, check-valve, regulating- 8 5 valves, and engine-governor are of the usual well-known form. Therefore a detailed description of the same is unnecessary.

In the operation of t-he apparatus, there being always sufficient gas retained in the gas- 9o ometer D to start the engine, which is done in the1 usual manner, the air compressed byA the compression cylinder a passes through the pipe E, regulating-valve e', and diffuser e2, where it enters the chamber b of the eliminator B and is confined therein by the cutoff valve b2 until from thirty to fifty pounds pressure is accumulated, this amount of pressure being sufficient to eliminate or exclude nearly all the humidity from the aeriform roo iiuid, the humidityT condensing and accumulating at the bottom of the chamber b, from which, after a predetermined amount is accumulated, it is discharged by the oat rising, which opens the valve b5 through the intervening lever h4. As soon as sufficient Water has been dischargedto lower the iioat the valve bis closed. Thus the accumulating water is constantly being disposed of automatically. Then the desired pressure' is accumulated in the chamber b and the'greaierl amount of humidity eliminated, the cut-off valve h6 is gradually opened, which allows the aeriform fluid to pass to the chamber b of the eliminator B, Where it comes in contact With the sulfuric acid, which, having a great affinity for humidity, entirely eliminates any humidity from the aeriform iiuid which might remain therein, leaving the same in condition to freely and uniformly absorb the hydrocarbon and bring the molecules o f the aeriform fiuid and hydrocarbon in actual contact with each other. From the eliminator B the fluid passes to the carbureter C through the pipe F and diffuser c' at the lower part of the chamber c and expands into the hydrocarbon from thirty pounds pressure to five pounds, (the amount carried in the carbureter,) lwhich, being free from humidity, effects a uniform and proper amount of hydrocarbon absorbtion necessary to produce the desired combustion and economical consumption of the hydrocarbon. From the carbureter C the gas passes to the gasometer D, Where it is again expanded and retained 'at about two pounds pressure; but as the second expansion takes place Where there is no hydrocarbon to be absorbed the molecular parts, although occupying a largcrspace, contain the same amount of hydrocarbon as labsorbed in the carbureter. From the gasometer the gas passes to the distributingpipes ready for consumption.

In case the compressor is supplying the aeriformfiuid faster than the consumption of the gas the increase of pressure in the pipe E acts on the governor 71, and regulates the supply of gasto just keep the engine A running. If under this condition the pressure still increases, the surplus over the predetermined amount carried is discharged by the safety-valve c.

By this apparatus a uniform and economical gas is produced and maintained which will not condense or the component parts thereof separate. The relative proportion of the parts can be accurately regulated to produce gases containing from the minimum to the maximum amount of hydrocarbon, as desired, and the apparatus being practically self-actuating it requires only the minimum of labor to operate the same, thereby procuring economy both in attendance and consumption of hydrocarbon, the latter being due to the proper proportion of the component parts of the gas, due to the perfect regulation of the apparatus and the process and method therein employed.

Either of the elements disclosed may be varied-that is, by dispensing with, adding to, or changing the form of the part-s thereof.

A gasometer isshown and claimed in some of the combinations. It may, however, be dispensed with and the pipe H vact as an equivalent. Therefore such pipe is included as the equivalent of the gasometer.

The apparatus for carrying out this process I reserve for another patent, the application for which Was filed August 29, '1899, Serial No. 728,828.

I claim- The process of carbureting .aeriform fluid consisting in compressing 'and cooling the fluid to eliminate the humidity and then subjecting the compressed and cooled fluid to hydrocarbon Whileit is expanding.

In testimony whereof I aliix my signature in the presence'of two Witnesses.

EDGAR A. MOALLI'STER.

Witnesses:

CHAPIN A. FERGUSON, ROBERT GIrsoN. 

